Kongque Gongzhu

Kongque Gongzhu, or The Peacock Princess, was produced by the Shanghai Animation Film Studio and released in 1982. This feature-length animated film was a notable entry in the studio's mid-century output, drawing heavily on the traditional folklore of the Dai people. The narrative follows the myth of Prince Zhaoshutun and the eponymous princess, reflecting the cultural interest in ethnic minority legends that was prevalent in Chinese cinema during the early 1980s.

The film is distinguished by its experimental visual approach, which utilized a combination of cel animation and live-action cinematography. Directed by Jin Xi, the production team aimed to evoke the ethereal, dreamlike quality of the peacock dance central to Dai culture. While the film was an ambitious departure from the more traditional ink-wash animation styles of the era, it received critical attention for its lush color palette and its preservation of regional artistic motifs.